U.S. denies North Korea commando raids

TOKYO, May 29 (UPI) -- A report that the United States sends commandos into North Korea to spy on underground military facilities drew a sharp denial from the U.S. military Tuesday.

The military issued a statement saying the current affairs journal The Diplomat took "great liberal license" with comments it attributed to a top U.S. general, The Washington Post reported.

The journal article said Brig. Gen. Neil H. Tolley, commander of special operations for United States Forces Korea, told a conference in Florida last week that both U.S. and South Korean commandos parachute into the north to conduct reconnaissance on underground tunnels that are hidden from satellites.

A spokesman for U.S. Forces Korea said officials are currently looking for a transcript of the general's remarks.

In the meantime, the U.S. military said the four-paragraph article contained quotes that were made up and attributed to the general.

"No U.S. or [South Korean] forces have parachuted into North Korea," the U.S. statement said.

The reporter who covered the conference said given the backlash he's no longer certain of the story's accuracy.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.